Nigeria Literacy Rate
Adult literacy rate SE.ADT.LITR.ZS
Overview
Nigeria's literacy rate stood at 66.56% in 2025, a decline of +3.85pp from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 66.56% by 2025. Nigeria ranked 52nd globally.
Data & projection
| Year | Literacy Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 67.14% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 66.85% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 66.56% | - | - |
| 2025 | 66.56% | −3.85pp | #52 |
| 2024 | 70.41% | +7.25pp | #20 |
| 2021 | 63.16% | +4.94pp | #37 |
| 2016 | 58.22% | −11.98pp | #40 |
| 2006 | 70.20% | +15.43pp | #19 |
| 2003 | 54.77% | −0.68pp | #9 |
| 1991 | 55.45% | – | #20 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Nigeria matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw literacy rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Nigeria's literacy rate was 66.56% in 2025. Ranked 52nd globally. This represents a 5.5% decrease from the previous year.
Nigeria's literacy rate peaked at 70.41% in 2024.
The lowest literacy rate in Nigeria was 54.77% in 2003.
Nigeria ranks 52nd globally in literacy rate as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.ADT.LITR.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Nigeria's literacy rate is projected to reach 66.56% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The literacy rate of Nigeria in 2025 was 66.56%. This ranks 52nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_nigeria_literacy-rate,
title = {Nigeria Literacy Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/nigeria/literacy-rate},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}